Bottle of Truth (Part 1)

Long long time ago, a lonely boy named Jati lived in a small village in a small island called Kura-Kura island. Jati was not really lonely. He had some friends who often played with him. But lately, he felt like his friends ignored him. He did not know the reason. He just felt that way since they did not act as friendly as usual. Jati knew himself was not as rich as his friends. He was just a son of poor farmers. He was a boy with red curly messy hair, pale skin, thin body, and red skin face because of sun burnt. Jati knew nobody wanted to be his friends. Because of that, he often lied about himself to the other kids. He did that to get some friends and he succeeded. But that was not for long time. His friends knew he lied.

One day, Jati’s friends, Dodi, Semar, Bimo, and Cuki told Jati about the truth of his lie. Jati’s friends knew that Jati lied about his bravery sneaked in into the witch’s house. Jati insisted that he did not lie about that. That made his friends could not hold their anger anymore. They wanted Jati proved himself. They challenged him to sneak in the witch’s house again without the witch’s notice. Jati had no other choice. He accepted the challenge with much doubt within his mind.

            

That evening, Jati and friends went to the forest near their village. Inside the forest there lived an old woman who was a witch. There was a famous story in the village that inside the silent forest there stood a very old house. That house was surrounded by howling trees and crying stones. Anyone who went there will hear the strange sounds which came from them. Everyone who heard them, he would dream vicious dream every night.

           

Jati was unbearably shaking when he kept thinking about that old story. His sweat wet his head to his toe.  He all over again chanted a spell which was believed will protect him from any magic and bad luck. He learnt it from Cuki, the best liar than ever. He did not knew it was a nonsense. At least by having those spells, he felt much confidence.

            

Dodi, Semar, Bimo, and Cuki accompanied Jati going inside the silent forest. They did not want Jati went away when the challenge began. All of them together walked into the forest. It was nearly dark outside. But inside the forest, night felt like engulfed the sun. The trees were tall and big like two floors house. The smell of a damp swamp really made they cried. The wind blowed smoothly bringing the coldness of the night. Sometimes, the sound of forest creatures surprised them. They carefully watched their step since silice and dangerous snake could be anywhere. Juki nearly cried out loud when saw a dark shadow spied him behind the tree. But his pride was bet here. He tried to not screaming eventhough he was nearly death because of his fear.

            

Some hours later, finally they arrived in the old house. That two floors house looked so fragile with the craked walls. The chimney was nearly gone since the bricks fell down. Around the house there were so many big trees and stones. The story was right, howling trees and crying stones were there. Jati’s fear swallowed him to deathly fearsome.

            “C’mon Jati! Go inside the house and prove to us that you aren’t a liar!” said Cuki

            “And you’ve to bring something from that house to us!” added Semar

            “Do you want to kill me? That’s not the challenge that you’ve told me!” shouted Jati

            “Well, you said that you ever steal the witch’s wand when you sneaked in into that house. And now you have to do it again, so we believe that you aren’t a liar. Now! Go to that house and bring us something!” shouted Bimo.

            

Without any spirit, Jati walked to the house. He looked around with fearful eyes. He still chanted his spells eventhough it did not make him feel any better. He covered his ears with both of his hands. He did not want to hear any howl or cry from the trees or the stones. Everything about that house frightened him. But the most fear actually came from the most dangerous thing, The Old Woman, The Witch.

            

Jati looked around the house, made sure that no one was home. The house was so quiet.  He thought the witch maybe went out for dinner since there was no sign that she was home. Only a little candle beside the window that alived. Jati collected all of his bravery to open the door. At first he thought the door was locked. But it actually opened loosely like he was invited to come inside. He made his first step going inside the house. He nearly saw nothing because of the darkness. He took the candle beside the window and used it to light his way. Everything looked quite clearly, but too clearly for him. Jati screamed out loud when he saw a skull hanging down before his eyes.  The skull swayed to the left and right just like it alived. Jati was afraid to death. His eyes were bigger and his mouth opened widely. He slowly walked backward and stomped something fluffy. Jati screamed again when he was surprised by the voice of cat. The fluffy thing that he stomped actually the tail of a black cat. The cat ran wildly after his tail got hurt. Jati took a deep breath trying to hold his fear and continue walking.

Even the light was very little, Jati could see so many strange things inside the house. There were five wooden chairs with strange creatures ornament placed in the center of the room. A big crystal ball was on the wooden table near the chairs. Death animals like bats, mice, ravens, and cats hanged on the ceiling. Everything looked so creepy for Jati. It made him wanted to get out from that house as soon as he found something for his friends. Then, Jati’s eyes were attracted by two little crystal bottles on the top of a little cupboard. Jati handed one bottle on his right hand and the other on his right hand. “Bottle of truths” he whispered the writing of a label on the bottle in his right hand. “Stomachache medicine?” that was written on the label of the bottle in his left hand. Jati intended to put the bottles in his pocket when he saw two little shining eyes starred at him. Those shining eyes looked so yellow. They hoped and approached Jati. Jati startled and moved backward slowly. He put the bottles in his pocket and grabbed the candle fastly. Little light shined the eyes and Jati found out that a big raven tried to chase him.

Jati hurriedly ran across the room, aimed to the front door. The raven flied and its claws tried to catch him. Jati realized that black raven was the signal that the witch will come home soon. One raven, it was still safe. But two or more? It means big problem. Bunch of ravens were after Jati. Jati screamed and ran wildly. He didn’t care the pain in his right foot caused by he hit the chair. He just ran and ran, trying to find the door. Jati’s loud shouts startled his friends who waited outside the house. They saw the door opened and so many ravens went out from there. Dodi, Semar, Bimo, and Cuki shocked and swallowed by the fear.

            “Let’s Go Leave This Place! The Witch will come to catch us if we stay here!” shout Bimo.

            “But we can’t leave Jati there!” said Cuki.

            “Idiot! Who cares with him! That’s his problem!” said Bimo

            “Look! That’s Jati! He comes out from the house!” said Semar.

            

All of them looked at the door and surprised by Jati’s frightened face. Jati ran and ran to his friends. Fortunately, the ravens did not catch him again. They went back to the house by entering the chimney. Jati’s breath were rushing. He nearly passed out cause by his fear. He sat under the tree, surrounded by his friends.

            “Well, let’s see! What you bring for us?” said Semar unicely

            “Here!” Jati give the bottle to Bimo. But, Cuki grabbed it fastly.

            “Stomachache medicine? Are you kidding?” shout Dodi.

            “That’s what I’ve got! Those ravens made me couldn’t take other stuff!” said Jati.

            “Okay! Forget that bloody bottle! You’ve proved that you’re brave. But, if we heard any lie again from you, your life won’t go easy! Understand?” said Semar. “Let’s back to the village guys!”

            

Dodi, Semar, Bimo, and Cuki walked through the forest, heading to their village. Jati was behind them. He still felt frightened by his experience before. He tried to stay calm by remembering the magical stuff that he just got. Jati kept the other bottle in his pocket. He did not tell his friends about the other one. No! He did not intend to tell them the magic that he just experienced. Big magic of bottle. Big first step to disaster.

source of picture : http://www.deviantart.com/art/a-bottle-full-of-magic-323261515

To Be Continued...

Author : Izzatur R (zaturania)

Say no to Plagiarism!